However, “The Odyssey” is already one of the most iconic stories in Western literature, so it seems unnecessary to be reinterpreted by a modern filmmaker. The themes of the poem are timeless and have been explored in countless ways. Nolan’s films are definitely impressive; however, they tend to prioritize spectacle over depth in a lot of cases.
“The Odyssey” itself is a foundational text of much significance. The story follows Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, on his decade-long journey to return home following the Trojan War, as well as his encounters with the cyclops Polyphemus, the sirens and the witch goddess Circe and the reunion with his wife Penelope and son Telemachus.
Given Nolan’s love of storytelling and his fascination with the nature of time, it certainly makes sense that he would try to adapt “The Odyssey.” However, he is known for science fiction films and psychological thrillers, not fantasy nor mythological epics. While the visuals will likely be phenomenal, I worry that Nolan might overcomplicate the story.
One thing that stands out in the film’s promotional media released so far is the depiction of Matt Damon’s Odysseus wearing a helmet, which many fans have said is actually a Roman helmet; if this is true, it is especially upsetting because Odysseus is Greek. Additionally, some promotional text is not in English but uses Greek numerals that are vaguely shaped like the letters of “THE ODYSSEY.” These historical inaccuracies would just add more confusion and misinformation.
I have seen seven of Nolan’s 12 films, arguably some of his most popular ones — “Batman Begins” (2005), “The Dark Knight” (2008), “Inception” (2010), “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012) “Interstellar” (2014), “Tenet” (2020) and “Oppenheimer” (2023).
My favorite Nolan film is “Inception,” closely followed by “Tenet” — however, that might partly be due to my affinity for Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert Pattinson. Those two films have fairly similar storylines, though one has to do with subconscious manipulation through dreams and the other has to do with time distortion. The movie title of “Tenet” is a palindrome, which cleverly references the aspect of the film bending the laws of nature to reverse the characters’ perceptions of time.
“The Odyssey” has already impacted the film industry, as many movies and TV shows are based on it — some with just minimal allusions to it. These include “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968), “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” (2000), “Spirited Away” (2001), “Cold Mountain” (2003), “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie” (2004), “Keyhole” (2011) and “The Return” (2024).
“Inception” could also be added to this list in some regard. This is because of the tropes that carry over from Homer’s ancient epic. In the 2010 film, DeCaprio’s character, Cobb, is trapped in a dream realm with an artificial depiction of his wife, Mal, which I interpreted to be an analogy of the seven years Odysseus was held captive on Calypso’s island in “The Odyssey.”
Another example of how “The Odyssey” has already been successfully adapted, though not directly as a film project, is “EPIC: The Musical.” This musical retelling is modern yet creative, incorporating elements like anime and video games into it. It was created by composer Jorge Rivera-Herrans and gained over 50 million likes on TikTok.
For Nolan to step in now seems unnecessary when the musical is already so beloved by fans. In fact, I find it to be quite suspicious that Nolan’s adaptation of “The Odyssey” was announced almost immediately after “EPIC: The Musical” got popular on TikTok. The timing seemed too perfect, almost like more than just a coincidence. “EPIC” gave “The Odyssey” a new life in a way that felt organic and fresh, but Nolan’s version already seems like it’s just trying to capitalize on that.
Nolan is a well-known director, but it feels like he is trying to copy a successful project, rather than coming up with something else — something more original. It’s particularly frustrating because the success of “EPIC” was all about fan involvement; it grew because it found ways to connect with people on a personal level — reposting fans’ social media posts and stories, inviting artists to make animations and even casting fans in important roles.
The cast list for Nolan’s “The Odyssey” has been released; however, only the roles for two of the cast members have been publicized — Matt Damon as Odysseus and Tom Holland as Telemachus. The full cast list is available on IMDB, but the names that stand out the most are Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Jon Bernthal, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, John Leguizamo and Jon Bernthal.
This is not the first time he has featured actors in multiple of his films. “Interstellar” featured both Anne Hathaway and Matt Damon, “Tenet” had Robert Pattinson and Himesh Patel and “Oppenheimer” had Matt Damon and Benny Safdie. Additionally, Elliot Page (as Ellen Page) was in “Inception,” Anne Hathaway was in “The Dark Knight Rises” and Cillian Murphy was in all three Batman movies and “Inception.”
The movie is going to be Nolan’s most expensive film in his career, with an estimated $250 million production budget. It is set to release on July 17, 2026. An adaptation like this might be better suited for a director who works more closely with fantasy genres, as it has numerous mythological aspects.
Abby Dreistadt, Editor in Chief